Beckham launches into the Galaxy

The Galaxy has its new stellar attraction. After months of increasingly frenzied anticipation, David Beckham strode out at the Home Depot Center amid a ticker-tape and rock 'n' roll fanfare last night to be unveiled as Major League Soccer's most eye-catching import ever, with a country more normally noted for its utter indifference to this sport momentarily enthralled by the suited figure clutching a No23 shirt on a stage in Carson City. This, he stated, was "all about the football" but there was no shortage of glitz and glamour in the California sunshine.

Beckham's introduction enticed around 5,000 supporters to this stadium, his walk along the touchline drawing squeals of delight from the young female contingent and hearty chants of "There's only one David Beckham" from the more "hard-core" support while Def Leppard's "Hello America" blared out in the background. By then, his wife Victoria had already cat-walked to her seat wearing a pink dress with matching handbag, pausing briefly to pose for photographs in the goalmouth before offering the crowd a royal wave. Yet this was not her day.

The 32-year-old midfielder was ready to confront the doubters. "Until my first game starts, I'm sure it'll be going through people's minds that I'm just here for the red-carpet side," he said. "I've had a lot of that obviously since I signed my contract with the Galaxy, people questioning the reasoning behind me coming to America and to the Galaxy. But, for me, it's always been about the soccer. That's always been the reasoning behind every move I've made in my career, from playing for Manchester United then moving to Spain, and then coming to the Galaxy. It's always been about the football.

"It's a huge move for me, a huge move for my family and a huge move for my career. I'm back in the England team now, but I can handle it. I may be 32, but I'm as fit as I was when I was 22, and I'm as eager as I was when I was 14. I'm ready for it. The only difference now is that I'll be clocking up the air miles more than I was before.

"I'm very proud of what I've done in my career so far. I've won everything there is possible to win in England, a league title in Spain, I've successfully played for my country for 11 years and as captain for six. I don't see this as a winding-down period. I know the expectations and the enthusiasm that the American people have. They want to take soccer to another level and I want to be part as that.

"It's always nice to be loved and liked, and not just for the soccer. I've always been honoured when people have made me feel special all around the world. I get that from the gay community around the world, from the black community, and the Jewish community because I'm half Jewish. I'm really honoured when people say different things about me. If I can have that effect in America, then great."

The former England captain considers this to be the perfect end to an "amazing" year. "I've had ups and down in my career, and it's been a real roller-coaster ride, but the last year has probably been the most amazing of my career. From being out of the Real Madrid side, and thinking I'd never play for them again, and out of the England team as well, then it turned around and we ended up winning the league and I was back in the national side. It's been one of the biggest years of my career on the pitch. I know there will be raised expectations here, but it's how you handle it."

The chief concern will be retaining local interest when Galaxy's new legion of supporters - some 250,000 of the club's new replica shirts have been sold on the back of Beckham's signing, at £40 each - realise this is not a player likely to score a hat-trick every week. Some fans here yesterday were under the impression the Englishman was actually a striker. "We see David playing centrally for us," said the first-team coach, Frank Yallop, who could yet make Beckham his captain. "We need to get him on the ball as much as we can."

Yet few can question the wisdom of recruiting football's most instantly recognisable face as a means of raising the profile of the game here. "I know the objective is to bring soccer in the United States up, so they couldn't have chosen a better player to achieve that," said Jose Mourinho, whose Chelsea will be Beckham's first opponents in a friendly next Saturday. "I think he's more than a player, given what he means to the world of football. He brings a lot of attention with him but, also, he will improve the Galaxy team as he is a better player than what they have.

"European football will miss him because he showed last season more than enough quality to carry on playing in the European game. But, given the objectives in coming here, I think he is the perfect player. It is a big challenge to help soccer become more important here. Beckham can attract others. Would I be tempted to come? In 20 years, perhaps. He is near the end of his career as a player so, when I am in the end of my career as a manager, I would love to. The country is amazing."

Beckham will earn a basic annual salary of £3.9m over his five-year stay - which contrasts markedly with his team-mates, some of whom are on nearer £10,000-a-year. The new signing made a point of meeting them yesterday morning. Beckham had seen his own house, around the corner from Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes in Beverly Hills, selected for him by Victoria, for the first time on Thursday night. His new team-mates can expect an invite to a celebrity barbecue in coming weeks.

They may prefer to concentrate on winning some games in the meantime. The Galaxy languish 10th in the 13-team league, with awkward away games on the east coast to come. Beckham may not play in all of those given his commitments with England in August and September.

"The Galaxy have made it quite clear they're very proud for me to be part of the England team again," added Beckham. "They'll do everything possible for me to play in every game in which I'm picked. Steve McClaren has told me before the Estonia game that if my fitness is right, he doesn't see a problem with me travelling backwards and forwards. So, for me, that's enough.

"This is like the first day at school again. You're taken out of your comfort zone of a team you've played with for a few years, into another changing room with people you've never played with before. It's as exciting as it ever has been for me. It's a new experience and one I'm looking forward to."

'My dream has come true'

David Beckham said his dream had come true as he was presented as an LA Galaxy player last night. "First of all I would like to say how honoured I am that so many people have come here to see me presented today," the midfielder said. "It's nice to see so many fans and I thank you for that.

"In my career I have played for two of the biggest clubs sides in the world, Manchester United and Real Madrid, and I have played for 11 years for my country and still am playing for my country. I have always looked for challenges in my career and something exciting in my life. My family have now moved to LA, something we are looking forward to and are very proud of, and in our life everything is perfect. For me the most important thing is my family and the second thing is the footb...," he said, before correcting himself: "The soccer."

He added: "This is one of the biggest challenges I have taken on in my career: to move to a different country on the other side of the world. There is potential in the States for soccer to be as big as it is around the world and I am very proud to be part of that for the next five years and maybe a few more.

"I am looking forward to starting training next week, the first game and to the support you have shown me throughout my career. Thanks to everybody who's made this happen - made my dream come true."